Video signal processing apparatus to generate both progressive and interlace video signals

ABSTRACT

A video signal processing apparatus includes a main picture processor, an interlace recovering module and a video encoder. The main picture processor produces corresponding main picture signals based on video signals from a memory. The main picture signals are converted to progressive scan signals through a predetermined video signals processing. The interlace recovering module receives the progressive scan signals, retrieves the even portion and the odd portion of the progressive video signals alternately, and generates a set of interlace-scan signals. The video encoder receives both the progressive scan signals and the interlace scan signals and generates a set of progressive video signals and a set of interlace video signals to corresponding video display apparatuses. Thereupon, the video reproduction system can simultaneously provide both the progressive video signals and interlace video signals to the video display apparatuses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a video signal processing apparatus.More particularly, the present invention relates to generate bothprogressive and interlace video signals of the video signal processingapparatus.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Video displaying is usually achieved by continuously displaying theconsecutive still video pictures or video images, which are thencaptured by human eyes to render a dynamic or a motion effect. Eachvideo picture/image includes several scanning lines starting from theupper-left comer of the video picture/image. Take the well-known NTSCstandard for an example, the format type for a video picture/image inthe NTSC standard includes 525 scanning lines, among which approximately480 scanning lines are effective, or so called effective scanning lines.

When a video display apparatus, like a TV, a projector or a monitor, isemployed for video displaying, there are generally two kinds of scanningmethods: interlace scanning method (interlace scan), and progressivescanning method (progressive scan). The interlace scanning method hasbeen developed for a long time and is used more often. Most of the TV inthe current market utilize interlace scanning method for videodisplaying. However, there is an increasing demand for progressivescanning. Therefore, some of the video display apparatuses are alsodesigned to utilize progressive scanning. Most well-known format typesfor video displaying include: interlaced video (480i) of 525 totalscanning lines and 480 effective scanning lines, interlaced video(1080i) of 1125 total scanning lines and 1080 effective scanning lines,progressive video (480p) of 525 total scanning lines and 480 effectivescanning lines, and progressive video (720p) of 750 total scanning linesand 720 effective scanning lines.

In the interlace scanning method, the odd numbers of scanning lines,i.e. the first, the third, the fifth . . . , are first scanned. Usuallyit is also called the first field or “odd field”. Then, the even numbersof scanning lines go on, i.e. the second, the fourth, the sixth, theeighth . . . . Usually it is also called the second field or “evenfield”. Thus, the smooth video displaying is in fact formed bycontrolling the scanning lines to be displayed on the video displayapparatus in a first-odd-and-then-even way, or in an odd-and-evenalternative way.

As for the progressive scanning method, the scanning lines are displayedsequentially, i.e. the first, the second, the third, the fourth . . . tothe end. They constitute so-called a “frame”, and the rendered picturesare usually more refined and subtler. The scanning speed is thus twiceas that of the interlace scanning method because the progressivescanning method displays twice the scanning lines in the same timeperiod. The data amount for the progressive scan is also twice as muchas that for the interlace scan. .

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of video signal processing apparatus 10according to the prior art. The video signal processing apparatus 10 isgenerally designed in a single chip. The video signal processingapparatus 10 of the prior art processes the video signals 22 transmittedfrom an external video memory 20 to output interlace video signals 11that can be displayed by a video display apparatus. The video signalprocessing apparatus 10 comprises an interlace format picture processor12 and a TV encoder 14. The interlace format picture processor 12 readsthe video signals 22, transmitted from the video memory 20, incompliance with the interlace scanning method, and then it furthertransmits the signals into the TV encoder 14 to perform low-passfiltering and to adjust chrominance, brightness and contrast. Theinterlace format signals are then encoded into interlace signals 11 thatare in compliance with the video standard of the video displayapparatus.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram in which the interlace video signal 11 inFIG. 1 is transformed into a progressive video signal 31. If theprogressive video display apparatus is to perform video displaying in aprogressive scanning way, the inputted video signals have to be thecorresponding progressive video signal 31. In the prior art, the videosignal processing apparatus 10 utilizes an externalinterlace-to-progressive transforming IC circuit 13 to transform theinterlace video signal 11 into the progressive video signal 31. Morespecifically, the signal transformation is performed by inserting ascanning line, either by means of interpolation or simulation, betweentwo consecutive scanning lines of the interlace video signals 11. Inthis way, the interlace field signals can be interpolated or simulatedas the progressive frame signal, and the interlace video signals 11 cantherefore be transformed into the progressive video signal 31. Becausethe interlace-to-progressive transforming IC circuit 13 needs to bedesigned on another chip outside the video signal processing apparatus10, the production cost is consequently increased. The aforementionedmethod is restricted by cost in practical application.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the prior art video signal processingapparatus 30 for generating a progressive video signal 31. The videosignal processing apparatus 30 of the prior art, designed on a singlechip, is used for generating progressive video signals 31.

This video signal processing apparatus 30 has the same function as thevideo signal processing apparatus 10. Furthermore, it processes thevideo signals 22 in compliance with the progressive scanning method.Because the picture processor 32 has the built-in functions ofinterpolation and/or simulation, after reading the video signals 22, itgenerates the corresponding frame signals in compliance with theprogressive scanning method. Besides, the TV encoder 34 can encode thesignals, which come from the picture processor 32, to be the progressivevideo signals 31 in compliance with the video standard of the videodisplay apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram in which the video signal processing apparatus30 of FIG. 3 generates interlace video signals 11. It is worthy tomention that the video signal processing apparatus 30, with the samefunction as the video signal processing apparatus 10, can output theinterlace video signals 11 on its own or independently. When the videosignal processing apparatus 30 is used for generating the interlacevideo signals 11, the picture processor 32, using the same way as thepicture processor 12 of FIG. 1, reads the video signals 22 by disablingor without using the function of interpolation and/or simulation. Thatis, the picture processor 32 of the video signal processing apparatus 30has two modes, the progressive mode/format and the interlacemode/format. Therefore, the video signal processing apparatus 30,depending on different situations, alternatively outputs progressivevideo signals 31 or interlace video signals 11.

Comparing the embodiment of the video signal processing apparatus 30 ofFIG. 3 and FIG. 4 with the embodiment of the video signal processingapparatus 10 of FIG.2, the video signal processing apparatus 30generates the progressive video signal 31 without utilizing the externalinterlace-to-progressive transforming IC circuit 13, so the cost ofproduction can be reduced. However, the video signal processingapparatus 30 can only display the progressive video signal 31 or theinterlace video signal 11 alternatively, but not both together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the present invention is to provide a video signalprocessing apparatus/video playback system that is designed on singlechip, simple, and relatively cheap, and that it is also able to outputboth progressive video signals and interlace video signals to the videodisplay apparatus, like TV, projector etc., for video displayingpurpose.

The present invention is a video signal processing apparatus/ videoplayback system for generating both a progressive video signal and aninterlace video signal to at least one video display apparatus. Thevideo signal processing apparatus/ video playback system comprises amain picture processor, an interlace video signal generating module anda video encoder. The interlace video signal generating module comprisesa luminance line buffer, at least one chroma line buffer, and acontrolling circuit. According to video signals transmitted from a videomemory, the main picture processor is used for generating acorresponding progressive main picture signal. A progressive signalstream is further generated from the progressive main picture signal viaa predetermined video processing procedure. The interlace video signalgenerating module is used for receiving the progressive signal streamand for selectively storing the progressive signal stream in an odd andeven alternative way into line buffers, in order to reconstruct aninterlace signal stream. The video encoder is used for encoding,according to the video standard of the video display apparatus, theprogressive signal stream and the interlace signal stream respectivelyinto progressive video signals and the interlace video signals, tocomply with the video standard of the video display apparatus. In thisway, the video signal processing apparatus outputs both the progressivevideo signals and the interlace video signals to the corresponding videodisplay apparatus for video displaying.

Under the traditional structure of the single chip design in the priorart, the present invention further introduces an interlace video signalgenerating module in the video signal processing apparatus. This enablesthe video signal processing apparatus of the present invention to outputboth the progressive video signals and the interlace video signalswithout an external circuit, such as the interlace-to-progressivetransforming IC circuit 13 in the prior art. Without the externalcircuit, the present invention is capable of reducing the cost ofproduction. The video signal processing apparatus, like DVD player, thatutilizes the video signal processing apparatus of the present inventionis able to output both the progressive video signals and the interlacevideo signals with most economical benefits at the same time. Therefore,when the DVD player needs to output video signals to two differentapparatuses, such as a traditional TV that can only accept interlacevideo signals and another, like projector or high-level TV, that canaccept progressive video signals, the two different apparatuses are ableto achieve their best performance at the same time. The advantage andspirit of the invention may be understood by the following recitationstogether with the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE APPENDED DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of video signal processing apparatus accordingto the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram in which an interlace video signal in FIG.1 is transformed into a progressive video signal.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the video signal processing apparatus ofthe prior art for generating a progressive video signal.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram in which the video signal processing apparatusof FIG. 3 generates interlace video signals.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the video signal processing apparatus ofthe present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram in which the video signal processing apparatusof FIG. 5 only outputs interlace video signals.

FIG. 7 is block diagram of the video signal processing apparatus of thesecond embodiment according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of illustrating the selective storage inthe odd and even alternative way by the interlace video signalgenerating module 60 in FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the interlace video signal generatingmodule of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the video signal processing apparatusof FIG. 5 to utilize an external progressive signal stream.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the video signal processing apparatus 50 ofthe present invention. The video signal processing apparatus 50 has amain picture processor 52, an auxiliary picture processor 54, a mixer56, a pre-processing circuit 58, an interlace video signal generatingmodule 60 and a video encoder 62. The auxiliary picture processor 54 hasa sub picture decoder 66 and an on screen display, OSD, processor 68.The pre-processing circuit 58 has a low-pass filter 72, a brightnessadjuster 74, a color adjuster 76 and a contrast adjuster 78. The videosignal processing apparatus 50 provides both a progressive video signal31 and an interlace video signal 11 to at least one video displayapparatus for video displaying.

As shown in FIG. 5, the main picture processor 52 generates acorresponding progressive main picture signal 80 according to the videosignals 22 transmitted from a video memory 20. If the video signals 22are interlace video signals, the main picture processor 52 will performinterpolation and/or simulation on the consecutive scanning lines in thefield signals, so as to generate the progressive main picture signal 80.If the video signals 22 are progressive video signals, the main pictureprocessor 52 generates the progressive main picture signals without theprocedure of interpolation and/or simulation. The progressive mainpicture signals 80 further include the video data of the main picture tobe displayed. The progressive main picture signals 80 generate aprogressive signal stream 86 via a predetermined video processingprocedure. The progressive signal stream 86 comprises plural framesignals, and the frame signals comprise plural scanning lines. Thepredetermined video processing procedure is performed by an auxiliarypicture processor 54, a mixer 56 and pre-processing circuit 58.

The auxiliary picture processor 54 has a sub picture decoder 66 and anon screen display, OSD, processor 68. The sub picture decoder 66 decodesthe video signals 22 to be corresponding progressive sub picture signals82. The on screen display processor 68, according the video signals 22,generates corresponding progressive OSD signals 84. The progressive subpicture signals 82 include the video data of the sub picture, e.g.subtitles, logo . . . etc., which can be superimposed on the mainpicture. The progressive OSD signals 84 includes the video data of theOn Screen Display Menu 'OSD Menu, to facilitate and assist the operationof the video signal processing apparatus 50. The mixer 56 performs videosignals mixing on the progressive sub picture signals 82, theprogressive OSD signals 84, and the progressive main picture signals 80,and those mixed signals are further transmitted into the pre-progressingcircuit 58 for video processing and adjusting.

In FIG. 5, the pre-processing circuit 58 has a low-pass filter 72, abrightness adjuster 74, a color adjuster 76, and a contrast adjuster 78.After the progressive main picture signals 80 are mixed with othersignals, the pre-processing circuit 58 further performs low-passfiltering and adjusting of all chrominance, brightness and contrast togenerate the progressive signal stream 86.

The interlace video signal generating module 60 is capable of receivingthe progressive signal stream 86 and for selectively storing theprogressive video signals in an odd and even alternative way into linebuffers, in order to reconstruct or regenerate an interlace signalstream 88. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of the interlace video signalgenerating module 60 of the present invention. The embodiment employsthe displaying format of luminance and chrominance, wherein Y representsluminance value, and C, comprising CB and CR that respectivelyrepresents the first and the second chrominance, represents chrominance.Therefore, the interlace video signal generating module 60 includes aluminance line buffer 61 for temporarily storing the data of luminance,the first chrominance line buffer 65 and the second chrominance linebuffer 67 for temporarily storing data of chrominance, and a controllingcircuit 69 for controlling the access of the data of luminance andchrominance. There are three sampling formats defined in MPEG-2; theyare 4:2:0, 4:2:2, and 4:4:4, which respectively represent threedifferent sampling rates of chrominance. This is known in the prior artfor the industry and no further detail is here explained. Thus, theinterlace video signal generating module 60 can accommodate one or twochrominance line buffers for storing the chrominance data.

As shown in FIG. 5, the video encoder 62 has a progressive video encoder63 and an interlace video encoder 64. The progressive video encoder 63is capable of encoding the progressive signal stream 86 to be theprogressive video signals 31, and the interlace video encoder 64 iscapable of encoding the interlace signal stream 88 to be the interlacevideo signals 11, all in compliance with the video standard of the videodisplay apparatus. In this way, the video signal processing apparatus iscapable of outputting both the progressive video signal 31 and theinterlace video signal 11 together to a corresponding video displayapparatus or plural video display apparatuses for video displayingpurpose.

It has to be specifically mentioned that the so-called “together” in thecontext of the present invention is referring to the fact that theprogressive video signals 31 and the interlace video signals 11 can beboth generated at the signal transforming procedure, but not necessarilysimultaneous. That is, no matter whether the progressive video signals31 and the interlace video signals 11 can be generated at the same time,all the video signal processing apparatuses that can have both signalsgenerated together to the video display apparatus for video displayingpurpose should be construed as being covered by the metes and bounds ofthe appended claims of the present invention. According to the videosignal processing apparatus 50 of FIG. 5, all the main picture processor52, the sub picture decoder 66, and the on screen display processor 68are in compliance with the progressive scanning method. Compared to thevideo signal processing apparatus 30 of the prior art of FIG. 3 and FIG.4, in which the video signal processing apparatus 30 is only capable ofoutputting the progressive video signals 31 or the interlace videosignals 11 alternatively but not both together, video signal processingapparatus 50 of the present invention utilizes an interlace video signalgenerating module 60 to selectively store the progressive signals in anodd and even alternative way, and it is able to output both theprogressive video signal 31 and the interlace video signal 11 together.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram in which the video signal processing apparatus50 of FIG. 5 only outputs the interlace signals 11. The video signalprocessing apparatus 50 not only can output the progressive videosignals and the interlace video signals 11 together, but it can outputthe interlace video signals 11 alone, if necessary. When the videosignal processing apparatus 50 outputs the interlace video signals 11alone, the main picture processor 52 does not perform the interpolationand/or simulation operation on the inputted consecutive scanning lines.In this specific case, the main picture processor 52, the sub picturedecoder 66 and the OSD processor 68 all function in compliance with theinterlace scanning method, and an interlace main picture signal 81, aninterlace sub picture signal 83 and an interlace OSD signal 85 areselectively generated based on the video signals 22. In this embodiment,similar to the prior art of FIG. 4, the interlace video signalgenerating module 60 and the progressive video encoder 63 do not performany function.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the video signal processing apparatus 90 ofanother embodiment according to the present invention. The maindifference between the video signal processing apparatus 90 of FIG. 7and the video signal processing apparatus 50 of FIG. 5 is the circuitallocation of the interlace video signal generating module 92. Theinterlace video signal generating module 92 is used for receiving theprogressive signal stream 93 transmitted from the mixer 56 and forselectively storing the interlace video signals in an odd and evenalternative way to generate an interlace signal stream 94.

In FIG. 7, the progressive signal stream 93 and the interlace signalstream 94, via the pre-processing circuit 96 and the pre-processingcircuit 98 respectively, go through low-pass filtering and adjustment inchrominance, brightness and contrast. Then, the progressive videoencoder 63 encodes the progressive signals stream 93 to be theprogressive video signals 31, and the interlace video encoder 64 encodesthe interlace signal stream 94 to be the interlace video signals 11,both to be in compliance with the video standard of the video displayapparatus.

Comparing the embodiment of FIG. 5 with the embodiment of FIG.7, theembodiment of FIG. 5 performs low-pass filtering and adjustschrominance, brightness and contrast before the interlace video signalgenerating module 60 generates the interlace signal stream 88. In thisconfiguration, the use of one pre-processing circuit can be reduced andsaved. The progressive video encoder 63 and the interlace video encoder64 are respectively designed for the video encoding that requiresseparate signal process.

FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram of the video signal processing apparatus50 of FIG. 5 to utilize an external progressive signal stream 86. In theaforementioned embodiment, the video signal processing apparatus 50 isused for playing video data stored in the video storage medium, likeVCD, DVD . . . etc. Referring to FIG. 10, the video signal processingapparatus 50 of the present invention can further utilize an externalprogressive signal stream 86 to generate both a progressive video signal31 and an interlace video signal 11. In general, the externalprogressive signal stream 86 may come from cable and/or wireless TVsignals of high-level TV sets. For example, in order to ensure the highquality images in sport video displaying, some sport programs employ theprogressive signal stream 86 with larger data capacity. Furthermore,many cities and countries are planning to change the standard ofwireless TV signals to be the progressive video format, so as to be incompliance with the video display apparatuses that have the progressivescan function. In this embodiment, the interlace video signal generatingmodule 60 and the video encoder 62 of the video signal processingapparatus 50 can be regarded as a progressive and interlace video signalapparatus 97. While reading the progressive signal stream 86, theinterlace video signal generating module 60 can be employed to generatethe interlace signal stream 88. The video encoder 62 can then beutilized to encode the two signal streams 86 and 88 to generate theinterlace video signals 31 and the progressive video signals 11.

In FIG. 8, it is shown a schematic diagram of illustrating the selectivesignal storage in an odd and even alternative way by the interlace videosignal generating module 60 in FIG. 5. P1 signal represents theprogressive video signals to constitute a video picture. The interlacevideo signal generating module 60 retains the odd scanning lines, suchas P1L1-P1L3-P1L5 . . . etc, of P1, but discards the even scanninglines, such as P1L2-P1L4-P1L6 . . . etc, of P1 signal. Those retainedsignals will be stored into one or plural line buffers in the interlacevideo signal generating module 60. Because the frequency of theprogressive scanning signal is twice as fast as that of the interlacescanning signal, the interlace video signal generating module 60 outputsthe stored signals at half of the P1 frequency to generate the interlacevideo signals 11. The above description can be regarded as the signal ordata transformation in one video picture. For the next video picture,the interlace video signal generating module 60 retains the evenscanning lines, such as P2L2-P2L4-P2L6 . . . etc, of P2 signal, butdiscards the odd scanning lines, such as P2L1-P2L3-P2L5 . . . etc, of P2signal. Those retained signals will be stored into one or plural linebuffers in the interlace video signal generating module 60. Theinterlace video signal generating module 60 outputs the stored signalsat half of the P2 frequency to generate the interlace video signals 12.

The aforementioned signal retain-and-discard process repeats itself.That is, on the next video picture, the interlace video signalgenerating module 60 retains the odd scanning lines, such asP3L1-P3L3-P3L5 . . . etc, of P3 signal, but discards the even scanninglines, such as P3L2-P3L4-P3L6 . . . etc, of P3 signal. This is themethod according to the present invention to utilize the interlace videosignal generating module 60 for selectively storing the progressivevideo signals in odd and even alternative way for reconstructing orregenerating the interlace video signals. According to the disclosedmethod, the progressive signal stream 86 can be transformed into theinterlace signal stream 88in a simple and cost-effective way.Summarizing the above, under the single chip design structure of theprior art, the present invention further includes an interlace videosignal generating module in the video signal processing apparatus. Thisenables the video signal processing apparatus of the present inventionto achieve the design purpose of outputting both the progressive scansignals and the interlace scan signals without an external circuit.Without the external circuit, the present invention is capable ofreducing the cost of production while still achieves its intended designpurpose.

With the example and explanations above, the features and spirits of theinvention will be hopefully well described. Those skilled in the artwill readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of thedevice may be made while retaining the teaching of the invention.Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only bythe metes and bounds of the appended claims.

1. A video signal processing apparatus for generating both a progressivevideo signal and an interlace video signal to at least one video displayapparatus, the video signal processing apparatus comprising: a mainpicture processor, for generating a corresponding progressive mainpicture signal according to video signals transmitted from a videomemory, a progressive signal stream being further generated from theprogressive main picture signal via a predetermined video processingprocedure; an interlace video signal generating module, comprising atleast one line buffer, for receiving the progressive signal stream andselectively storing the progressive signal stream in an odd and evenalternative way to generate an interlace signal stream; and a videoencoder, for encoding, according to a video standard of the videodisplay apparatus, the progressive signal stream and the interlacesignal stream respectively to be the progressive video signal and theinterlace video signal in compliance with the video standard of thevideo display apparatus; whereby the video playback system provides boththe progressive video signal and the interlace video signal to the videodisplay apparatus for video displaying.
 2. The video signal processingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the video signal processing apparatuscomprises an auxiliary picture processor and a mixer, the auxiliarypicture processor comprises: a sub picture decoder, for decoding thevideo signals in the video memory to corresponding interlace sub picturesignals; and an on screen display (OSD) processor, for generatingcorresponding interlace OSD signals based on the video signals in thevideo memory; wherein the mixer performs signal mixing on the interlacesub picture signals, the interlace OSD signals and interlace mainpicture signals.
 3. The video signal processing apparatus of claim 1,wherein the video signal processing apparatus further comprises apre-processing circuit for performing video signal processing andadjusting on the incoming signals, and the pre-processing circuitcomprises a low-pass filter, a brightness adjuster, a color adjuster anda contrast adjuster.
 4. The video signal processing apparatus of claim3, wherein the predetermined video processing procedure is to have theinterlace main picture signals mixed by the mixer, and processed andadjusted by the pre-processing circuit.
 5. The video signal processingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the video encoder comprises a progressivevideo encoder and an interlace video encoder.
 6. The video signalprocessing apparatus of claim 5, wherein the interlace video encoderfurther reads out the stored signals at half of the frequency of theprogressive signal stream to generate the interlace signal stream. 7.The video signal processing apparatus of claim 1, wherein theprogressive signal stream comprises plural frame signals, and the framesignals comprise plural scan signals.
 8. The video signal processingapparatus of claim 7, wherein selectively storing the progressive signalstream in an odd and even alternative way means to perform the followingsignal processing step on a consecutive first and second frame signal:storing only the odd scan signals in the first frame signal, and storingonly the even scan signals in the second frame signal.
 9. The videosignal processing apparatus of claim 7, wherein selectively storing theprogressive signal stream in an odd and even alternative way means toperform the following signal processing step on a consecutive first andsecond frame signal: storing only the even scan signals in the firstframe signal, and storing only the odd scan signals in the second framesignal.
 10. The video signal processing apparatus of claim 1, whereinthe video signal processing apparatus is capable of connecting to twodifferent video display apparatuses, and the progressive video signaland the interlace video signal generated by the video signal processingapparatus are transmitted to the two video display apparatusesrespectively for video displaying.
 11. The video signal processingapparatus of claim 1, wherein the line buffers in the interlace signalgenerating module are a luminance line buffer and at least one chromaline buffer, and the number of the chroma line buffers depends on thesampling rate of chroma sampling and luminance sampling.
 12. Aprogressive and interlace video signal apparatus, according to aprogressive signal stream, for generating both a progressive videosignal and a interlace video signal to at least one video displayapparatus, the progressive and interlace video signal apparatuscomprises: an interlace video signal generating module, comprising atleast one line buffer, for receiving the progressive signal stream andselectively storing the progressive signal stream in an even and oddalternative way to generate an interlace signal stream; and a videoencoder, for encoding, according to the video standard of the videodisplay apparatus, the progressive signal stream and the interlacesignal stream respectively to be the progressive video signal and theinterlace video signal in compliance with the video standard of thevideo display apparatus; whereby the video signal processing apparatusprovides both the progressive video signal and the interlace videosignal to the video display apparatus for video displaying.
 13. A methodof utilizing an interlace signal generating module to enable a videosignal processing apparatus to generate both a progressive video signaland an interlace video signal to at least one video display apparatus,the video signal processing apparatus comprising the interlace signalgenerating module, comprising at least one line buffer; and a videoencoding module for encoding, according to the video standard of thevideo display apparatus, the progressive signal stream and the interlacesignal stream respectively to be the progressive video signal and theinterlace video signal in compliance with the video standard of thevideo display apparatus; the method comprising the following steps:before the progressive signal stream has not been encoded by the videoencoder, selectively storing the progressive signal stream in an odd andeven alternative way in the interlace video signal generating module;and encoding the progressive signal stream and the interlace signalstream separately to be the progressive video signal and the interlacevideo signal; whereby the video signal processing apparatus providesboth the progressive video signal and the interlace video signal to thevideo display apparatus for video display.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the video signal processing apparatus generates the progressivesignal stream, according to video signals transmitted from an externalvideo memory, via a predetermined video processing procedure.
 15. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the video encoder comprises a progressivevideo encoder and an interlace video encoder.
 16. The method of claim15, wherein the interlace video encoder further reads out the storedsignals at half of the frequency of the progressive signal stream togenerate the interlace signal stream.
 17. The method of claim 13,wherein the progressive signal stream comprises plural frame signals,and the frame signals comprise plural scan signals.
 18. The method ofclaim 17, wherein selectively storing the progressive signal stream inan odd and even alternative way means to perform the following signalprocessing step on a consecutive first and second frame signal: storingonly the odd scan signals in the first frame signal, and storing onlythe even scan signals in the second frame signal.
 19. The method ofclaim 17, wherein selectively storing the progressive signal stream inan odd and even alternative way means to perform the following signalprocessing step on a consecutive first and second frame signal: storingonly the even scan signals in the first frame signal, and storing onlythe odd scan signals in the second frame signal.
 20. The method of claim17, wherein the plural line buffers in the interlace video signalgenerating module are a luminance line buffer and at least one chromaline buffer, and the number of the chroma line buffers depends on thesampling rate of chroma sampling and luminance sampling.